Does Castor Oil Make Your Hair Grow?

For years, castor oil has been marketed to make your hair grow. But is there any scientific truth to this infamous marketing claim? I’ve been using castor oil in my hair for years. Most of the time, it is listed as an ingredient in my hair grease, hair oils, conditioners, and some leave-in conditioners.

But using organic castor oil is way different from using hair products that claim to have it in the ingredient list. With that being said, let’s explore what castor oil is, and how it can help support hair growth and keep our hair moisturized.

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Castor oil is an oil made from a vegetable plant named Ricinus communis. The oil is pressed from the castor beans, and creates a pale yellow thick liquid. According to Wikipedia, “It includes a mixture of triglycerides in which about 90% of fatty acids are ricinoleated. Oleic acid and linoleic acid are the other significant components”. In other words, castor oil is made of many fatty acids that can help in hair growth, hair thickness, and moisture.

Believe it or not, back in the day, my grandparents would drink castor oil to relieve constipation, make homemade soaps, and help induce labor for pregnant women. I can’t imagine drinking this thick oil, but that was the hear say when my mother would speak about my grandparents and castor oil.

But now that I think about it, my mother never spoke of using castor oil in our hair. Maybe because hair grease was popular and claimed to already have it listed in the ingredients. So I never thought to question this theory.

Some of the known benefits of using castor oil for your hair is that it can help it grow long, make your hair feel and appear thicker, and will moisturize your hair and scalp. However, I want to explore the natural acids that make up castor oil, and break out what each really does for the hair and scalp.

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Castor oil contains a high amount of Ricinoleic acid, which has anti-inflammatory benefits. This unsaturated omega-9 fatty acid will help keep your scalp and hair follicles healthy. It also helps fight thinning hair and alopecia. Also, this can help reduce an itchy scalp, if you don’t have any allergies to the oil.

Oleic Acid is the next acid that makes up castor oil, made of monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid. This acid has emulsifying properties that help hydrate your hair and scalp. It also has anti-inflammatory properties to help fight inflammation on the scalp. After further research, there are claims that this acid actually aids in hair growth.

Linoleic acid is a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid that helps hair growth and scalp reconstruction. It also helps improve dryness in hair and scalp, and fights against hair loss.

Stearic acid is a saturated fatty acid that is mostly a lubricant and emulsifier. This acid helps castor give your hair moisture and a natural shine. It will also coat, condition, and help thicken your hair.

Though there is no scientific proof that castor oil will help your hair grow, the fatty acids it contains say otherwise. I have to admit that when I started using organic castor oil on my hair and scalp, I noticed a healthier head of hair. I think the oil helped in hair growth by keeping my scalp healthy, and my hair strands coated, moisturized, and protected.

Castor oil helps keep your hair nourished, hydrated, and moisturized when you apply it on top of a water-based moisturizer. As a result, your hair will feel soft and manageable.

If you have an itchy scalp that is inflamed or troublesome, you can apply organic castor oil on your scalp to help relieve your symptoms. It will help soothe your scalp without the tingling sensation, while keeping it hydrated and protected.

When buying castor oil, you want to purchase the organic, cold pressed castor oil to reap all the benefits we talked about before. This is important, because commercially made castor oil is artificial, and the results of using it are unknown and vary. Though, it is also important to note that some people have an allergy to organic castor oil. So always do a skin test on your arm or behind your ear, and wait 24 hours to see if you have any allergic reaction to the oil.